No Specialized Treatment

The simplest treatment is no treatment at all. Especially in cities like Minneapolis and Saint Paul, quiet streets in residential neighborhoods are safe and pleasant for cycling with no bicycle-oriented treatment.

Signed Bike Route

Seen more commonly in suburban and rural areas, certain roads have sufficient width or shoulder to accommodate bicycle traffic. When these roadways are marked with “Bike Route” signs, they are officially a signed bike route. Many other roads nearby may have similar shoulders or width, but may not be signed. These roads are not necessarily better or worse for cycling. Generally, a signed route will indicate that interruptions to the shoulder or width are minimal, and that the road should serve as a good route for cyclists.

Bicycle Boulevard

Originally implemented in cities on the west coast, this treatment converts a low-traffic street into an effective bicycle corridor by discouraging automotive through-traffic while encouraging bicycle through traffic. The discouragement can take several forms, most commonly involving intersection treatments that force auto traffic to turn off of the street or limit auto traffic from entering the street. Because the street is not closed completely, local residents and visitors can still access on-street parking.

Bike Lanes

Bike lanes are usually used on busier streets where mode separation is beneficial and sufficient width exists to add lanes dedicated to bicycle traffic. Modern standards for bike lanes typically call for a striped lane six feet or wider. Common design problems include bike lanes that begin or end too abruptly, the inclusion of surface hazards like curb pan seams and potholes, and insufficient offset from parallel parking.

Greenway

As defined by the initiative, a greenway is an off-street paved trail designed to serve cyclists and pedestrians, but not automobiles. Unlike many recreational bicycle trails, greenways are designed with transportation in mind. They should be as level as is reasonably possible, not unnecessarily curvy or meandering, and well suited to use at all times of day or night in any season. Greenways need to be sized to properly accommodate the volume of traffic that will use them, and should be easy to maintain.